Blois is a Delightful Town

I love Blois! It is a delightful town full of charming shops, hilly streets, great restaurants and, of course, the château.  We spent several days here and some of our favorite memories are of wandering the streets early in the morning before the hustle and bustle of the day had begun.

Early morning walk

Sleeping in can be tempting but on at least one morning get out and wander the streets BEFORE you have one of those wonderful croissants for breakfast. When the day is just breaking, you never know what unexpected joy you will find.

City Well

Old city well

Here we stopped at the Blois city well. Standing on the steps it was not difficult to imagine the days when people came to this well to draw water for household use.

La Maison des Acrobates

Maison des Acrobats

Maison des Acrobats

The house of acrobats (La Maison des Acrobates) is a late 15th century timbered house. The sculptures are taken from the tales and farces of the Middle Ages. This timbered house is one of the oldest in the city of Blois. Located on Place St Louis near the cathedral, the carvings which adorn the house are from the farces of the middle ages, acrobats, jugglers and other entertainers.

Cathedral of St Louis

Blois Cathedral St Louis

The magnificent Cathedral of St Louis towers above the city when viewed from virtually any spot in the town. St Louis dates from the 10th century and was devastated by a hurricane in the 1600s. It was rebuilt in Gothic style. So many cathedrals have two towers but St Louis has only one. I think it is this feature of its architecture that draws me to its profile – it seems to be pointing to heaven.

Inside St Louis Cathedral

St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church was once the St Laumier Abbey Church. It is definitely worth the visit! The word majestic best describes the  interior of this church. This is the church that you see when you stand on the ramparts of the chateau.

St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church